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While we often think of ivy thriving outdoors—climbing up a brick wall, spilling over a fence, or winding its way across the ground—it’s also a popular houseplant, and with the right care it can grow well indoors. Most species of ivy are easy-care plantings but there are some tricks to keep them growing at their best. Light Requirements Ivy species are climbing vines and rambling ground covers, and they can both thrive in shade with moderate to regular water and tolerate some sun....

Thanksgiving is all about tradition, but there is one that is worth retiring. I’m talking specifically about that dark red, oblong thing with all the ridges sitting in the middle of your dining table. Does anyone truly love cranberry sauce from a can? Cranberry sauce is as much of a part of a classic Thanksgiving menu as the turkey and dressing, but I challenge you to find one person who wakes up that morning excited to eat it....

It might seem like an unheard-of concept to those not from the South, but the term “church hair” recalls a very clear image to many Southerners. Perfectly coiffed, expertly pinned, sprayed down until a stiff wind couldn’t penetrate even if it tried, and sitting atop of a dame that could slice you with a look if you dare interrupt the service. Because, if you’re a Southern woman—modern or old-fashioned—you know the importance that Southern women have always placed on putting their best foot forward in every situation....

Dogs and their antics provide us endless amusement, but nothing is quite as silly as when they spin round and round, seemingly chasing their tail. Is this tail-chasing game, also called whirling, an instinct, an obsession, or something your pup finds fascinating to do? Dogs Chase Their Tail to Relieve Boredom “Tail chasing can be a way to relieve boredom and expend some excess energy,” says Dr. Erin Katribe, a Texas veterinarian and medical director of Best Friends Animal Society, a non-profit animal welfare organization with a nationwide outreach....

Ruth Thompson isn’t your average college student. She’s not just older than the students in her class, she’s old enough to be their grandparent—or even great grandparent. Born in New Jersey on April 26, 1920, Thompson has lived for more than a century. The 101-year-old, who has lived in her Dinwiddie, Virginia, home for more than 30 years, remembers when Herbert Hoover was in office. She remembers the day the stock market crashed, and she even remembers hearing about Franklin D....

When mom and dad are playing teacher, the curriculum looks a little different! Here are the life skills every child should learn before he or she leaves the house. Skills to Teach Younger Children No pressure to create prodigies here! Focus on the basics with your littlest learners, from essential etiquette lessons to household skills that encourage a helpful spirit. Tell Time Even in a world that’s increasingly digital, it’s important for kids to be able to read analog clocks and watches....

Have you ever been asked to say grace before supper? Not a problem. There are dozens of beautiful ways to give thanks. Your dinner prayer could range from symbolic and lengthy to short and simple. Go with a traditional prayer of thanksgiving for a familiar choice or go for something more unique. Feel free to make it fully your own, and personalize each prayer for the specific occasion and guests at your dinner party....

When it comes to Southern churchgoers’ most dog-eared books, the Bible indisputably comes first, but the church cookbook takes its place as a close second. Like recipe collections curated by school groups and various chapters of the Junior League, church cookbooks reflect the people who lovingly put them together and the places they were made: For instance, pick up a cookbook by a Catholic congregation in Louisiana, and you’re likely to find more than one mention of the Holy Trinity—first for the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and second for jambalaya’s requisite onions, bell pepper, and celery; grab one curated by a small-town Baptist congregation, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find any recipes with booze—save, perhaps, for the rum cake....

When the time came to replace my mattress, I was riddled with anxiety. It’s a big commitment. What if it didn’t work out? Would I be destined for countless nights of tossing and turning until I finally got up the gumption to put that money-back guarantee to the test? And don’t get me started on the mattress store. In an effort to avoid the storefront situation—as I decided avoiding that at all costs would be most advantageous—I decided to give direct-to-consumer mattress brand Tuft & Needle a try....

If you’ve ever watched HGTV, you know Americans love their granite countertops. You’re also probably aware the material saw a huge boom in the ’90s and 2000s as laminate and solid surface counters faded out, and granite became more and more accessible to average consumers. Phil Edwards, of Vox.com, actually chronicled the fascinating and fanatical rise—and eventual plateau—of the natural stone surface. “Based on estimates from the US International Trade Commission, total United States imports of processed granite were about 206,000 metric tons in 1996....

You’re not alone if you’ve wondered how to make your favorite chicken nuggets. There’s something about the behind-the-scenes world of fast-food restaurants that both intrigues and frightens us. It’s no surprise that a video demonstrating Chick-fil-A’s method for making chicken nuggets has fascinated TikTok users. And fortunately, it’s not for its shock value. If anything, it’s shockingly delicious. The now-deleted clip comes from TikTok user dxxdxx7, who was presumably a Chick-fil-A employee who removed the video from the site....

Sorry, Golden Girls, but our new favorite TV show is Somewhere South, which premieres tonight Friday, March 27, at 9 p.m. ET on local PBS stations. In the new series, beloved chef Vivian Howard travels across the South to meet with the restaurant chefs and home cooks who are preserving the legacy and the future of Southern cuisine. In each episode of South by Somewhere, Howard, who was named the South’s Best chef of 2019, highlights the diverse culinary heritage of the region we call home....

Growing up in the South back in the day, some of our best childhood memories started with three little words from Mama: “Hit the yard.” That meant, “You’re underfoot, you’re getting on my last nerve, and you’re watching way too much television—go outside and play with your cousins.” There was no end to what Southern children could dream up in the days before cell phones, the Internet, video games, or even cable TV....

Of the countless reasons to love dogs, their willingness to express how they feel is near the top of the list. With wiggling bums and tip-tapping feet, it’s easy to tell when a pup is feeling happy, the same way their heart-wrenching whimpers make it clear when they’re sad. But in between the tail whips and howls of despair, dogs have a whole vocabulary for their emotions—humans simply need to learn their language....

Dolly Parton may be a country music great while Elvis Presley was a rock ’n’ roll star, but as omnipresent baskers in the spotlight, the two have much in common. So much so, in fact, that Parton once revealed that she has long felt a palpable link to the musical icon, who died in 1977. “I always felt that we were kin,” she told Playboy in a 1978 interview, per the book Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters with Dolly Parton....

When it comes to hosting guests, we may have spent hours planning the perfect dinner menu, coming up with a crowd-pleasing batch cocktail, creating festive bouquets, and strategizing your comfortable yet chic ensemble, but cleaning the house might be another story. Whether it’s your monthly book club, a holiday soiree, or a backyard birthday, there are several spaces that deserve some prioritization on your party prep schedule, even if you’ve waited until the last minute....

When headed to the farmer’s market or the produce section of your favorite supermarket, you probably rely on your senses to determine the best fruits and veggies for the taking. You’ll give an apple a squeeze to determine if it’s firm and not bruised. And you can see if the bunches of grapes have any squished up duds. But a true supermarket sleuth will rely on the old sniffer for the ultimate freshness test....

Few things are as wonderful as homemade bread. Crusty loaves elevate the humble sandwich, while fluffy dinner rolls prove irresistible on the supper table. Don’t even get us started on the magic of a homemade cinnamon roll dripping in icing. The key to the success of all these recipes (and more)? Yeast. Without good yeast, your breads won’t rise, yielding instead a dense, decidedly less tasty result. You can easily avoid this kitchen mishap by testing to see if your yeast is alive through a process called proofing....

While we have plenty of Christmas wrapping ideas for presents and holiday treats, the first step of wrapping any gift is the same whether you’re using Kraft paper and twine or pretty printed paper and silk ribbon (like the above packages by Dogwood Hill). Much like trimming a tree, wrapping a present is very much a creative process. The overall final look of the tree or package relies solely on the wrapper’s vision....

Calling all candy corn haters! You may have a new fearless leader. Following Mississippi State’s big win over Vanderbilt on Saturday night, head coach Mike Leach had little to say about the 45-6 win, but plenty to discuss on the topic of Halloween candy. Earlier in the week, SEC Network got the scoop on all of Leach’s favorite Halloween traditions, including his distaste for the polarizing seasonal staple. “Candy corn’s just awful,” he told SEC Network....